Sarah Trahern

When Trahern assumed the office of CEO of the CMA in January 2014, she opened another page of an illustrious music industry and television career that includes more than 27 years of experience in the television business, including 18 years producing or overseeing Country Music programming.

Her role at CMA is to collaborate with the CMA Board of Directors to expand the mission and strategic objectives of CMA while being mindful of the unique legacy and spirit of the organization. Trahern also serves as President of the CMA Foundation Board, which supports music education programs for deserving children across the United States.

She began her cable career at C-SPAN in Washington, D.C. covering politics and public affairs, and producing the popular series “Booknotes.” Trahern moved to Nashville in 1995 to oversee specials and entertainment series for The Nashville Network (TNN). She joined Great American Country (GAC) in 2005 with Scripps' ownership of the network, and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Programming, and later, General Manager of the network, where her myriad duties included the strategic direction of the network and oversight of GAC's programming, marketing, creative, and digital initiatives.

In 2015, Trahern was named to Billboard Magazine's Top 50 Nashville Power Players (No. 20) as well as the Nashville Business Journal's 2015 Women in Music City Awards. She was also named one of 30 women "Power Players" in the music business by Billboard. In 2011, Trahern was the subject and honoree of the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Additionally, she was recognized by Source as a top leader in the music business.

Sarah Trahern is a member of the Board of Directors of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University and Georgetown University's Baker Scholars program, and is chairing the Events Committee for the 2016 All Star Hockey Game in Nashville.

She is an alumna of Leadership Music (1999) and Leadership Nashville (2015). She participated in the Department of Defense's 84th class in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference and is a graduate of Women in Cable Television's Betsy Magness Leadership Institute.

Trahern is a graduate of Georgetown University and has an MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt. A native of Champaign-Urbana, Ill., she resides in Nashville with her husband, Wayne Flatt.